Handover is put at risk by attacks from within

The credibility of Britain and America’s handover plan for Afghanistan is under threat after the worst spate of “insider attacks” by Afghan security forces against their Nato partners.

Two British soldiers were killed and four US troops died in separate shootings by Afghan policemen at the weekend — an increasingly common tactic that military experts said was sapping morale. The British dead were named last night as Sergeant Gareth Thursby and Private Thomas Wroe, both of 3rd Battalion, The Yorkshire Regiment (Duke of Wellington’s).

Former British commanders told The Times that more Nato troops would die in similar circumstances this year and next as the Taleban step up a campaign to infiltrate the Afghan police and army.